1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to alarm devices and, more particularly, to an alarm especially adapted for use in a bathtub to prevent an overflow of water from the bathtub.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The potential problem of water overflowing from the bathtub is a well-known problem. Expensive water damage to floors and ceilings can quickly result when a bathtub overflows. Another problem is a loss of expensive hot water and the loss of an increasingly expensive natural resource “water”; the main cause of bathtub overflows is “human beings”; and their inabilities to do other tasks and still focus on the bathtub being filled. In this respect throughout the years a number of innovations have been developed relating to alarms to warn of potential bathtub overflow, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,258,444,4,757,305, 4,771,272, 5,894,611, and 6,160,482.
In general they all rely on battery power and some form of electrical switch that is made up, when water comes in direct contact with electrical probes or when water raises a float and closes a switch. The main problems that all of the forgoing body of prior art share, battery power is limited and needs to be replaced, the bathtub is a hostile environment for electrical components, all of them have delicate components that would fail if they were dropped or subjected to bathtub environment for any length of time.
Still other features would be desirable in a tub alarm apparatus. For example tubs come in a variety of shapes and sizes. In this respect, it would be desirable if a bathtub alarm apparatus were provided with different ways for supporting the apparatus on a wall of a tub.
Thus, while the forgoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use an alarm to signal high water in a bathtub, the prior art described above does not have the following combination of desirable features: (1) Still another feature would be desirable in a bathtub alarm apparatus utilizing the endless supply of energy of the water flow filling the tub to operate the alarm system. (2) Still another feature would be desirable in a bathtub alarm system for example there are only two moving parts the waterwheel and the float (3) Still another feature would be desirable in the bathtub alarm simplicity in its design making it inexpensive to manufacture. (4) Still another feature this alarm apparatus will withstand a lot more abuse. (5) Still another feature has an easy method for attaching it to the tube wall. (6) Still another feature the apparatus is transparent making it easy to adjust and test; The foregoing desirable designs are provided by the unique bathtub alarm apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.